No meat, no dairy – no fun? Not to celebrity chef Tal Ronnen, whose vegan cuisine is the stuff of culinary dreams. In this Lifescript exclusive, he shares his secrets for flavorful, filling vegan meals, along with three of his favorite dishes...

Vegan chef Tal Ronnen has a confession: He used to eat meat – and misses it. That’s why the author of the bestselling meat-free cookbook The Conscious Cook (William Morrow Cookbooks) has a mission: to create satisfying dishes even carnivores will salivate over.

After giving up meat 20 years ago, Ronnen faced a common conundrum: The vegan lifestyle left him unsatisfied, disappointed and hungry.

“At restaurants, the vegetarian options were often an afterthought,” Ronnen says. “They were usually side dishes put together to make an entrée.”

Ronnen began to experiment with vegan meals that contained filling – and tasty – non-meat proteins. Unlike most vegan chefs, who are home-trained, Ronnen is a graduate of New York City’s Natural Gourmet Institute and looks to traditional French techniques for inspiration.

“I was obsessed with the idea of creating vegan food that was just as mouthwatering and delicious as anything I’d had as a meat-eater,” Ronnen says.

His approach has won him big-name fans. Ronnen catered the vegan wedding reception for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, and was selected to cook for Oprah during her recent 21-day cleanse. He also served the first vegan meal at the U.S. Senate.

In this Lifescript exclusive, Ronnen dispels myths about veganism and offers up some of his best recipes.

What are people’s misconceptions about a vegan diet?That it’s [only about] sprouts and hummus, it isn’t flavorful and lacks protein. Even some of the best chefs do great vegan tasting menus that [cost] $250. But after seven courses you’re still hungry. There’s no protein.

My biggest focus is having a plant-based protein as center of the plate.

In the U.S., “protein” means “meat.” In the rest of the world, people get their protein through plant-based sources. In Mexico it’s black beans; in Asia it’s soy; in India it’s lentils; in South America it’s whole grains.

In those cultures, meat is just an accent on the plate a couple times a week. In North America, we’re eating meat three times a day: sausage for breakfast, turkey for lunch, steak or salmon for dinner. It’s no wonder we lead the world in heart disease, cancer and strokes.

What’s the most common question you get about eating vegan?“Why would you create a cream sauce or mimic an animal product?”

The answer is simple: I grew up eating meat and really miss the texture and flavors, but I struggle with the dilemma of eating meat and dairy products. So creating recipes that remind me of those dishes, without having the ethical issues or mental impact, is really cool.

Are there any foods you miss from your pre-vegan days?Yeah, I miss a good New York pizza. One of the toughest things to mimic is cheese.

What five essential ingredients should a vegan home cook have in their kitchen?I like using oils that have natural saturated fat. Other cookbooks focus on low-fat or no-fat. To me, fat equals flavor. So [I like] oils like coconut and palm – unrefined/non-hydrogenated versions are healthy in moderation.

I also like champagne vinegar, which is lighter than other vinegars and especially nice when used on citrus. Agave nectar is a great sweetener for baking and sauces. I like keeping different vegetable stocks. And I have Gardein [a meat substitute] in my freezer. [Ronnen is a spokesman for Gardein.]

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget?My hands. A food processor is also indispensable for chopping and shredding vegetables, making dressings and mixing dough.

Do you think people are more open to vegan cooking these days?Yes, I’ve never seen anything like the interest I’m seeing now!

My book was on the New York Times bestseller list for four weeks and was named a top 10 cookbook of the year by Epicurious.com – it’s crazy. I felt that those [publications] had never taken a vegan diet seriously, so that was really great.

Read on for 3 of Ronnen’s favorite vegan dishes.

Quinoa Maki with Avocado and Cajun Portobello FilletsMaki is sushi rolled in seaweed. In this version, quinoa replaces rice to add protein and a chewy texture.

PreparationFor Cajun portobello fillets:1. Place a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add oil and heat for 1 minute, being careful not to let it smoke.

5. In a cast-iron skillet, cook mushrooms in a single layer on medium-high heat until blackened. (You may have to do this in 2 batches, 2-3 minutes on each side.) Remove to a plate.

For maki:1. In small bowl, mix vegan mayonnaise and sambal oelek. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa, vinegar and sugar. Spread a thin layer of the mixture on a sheet of nori, covering sheet except for a 1-inch space along the far edge of the sheet.

3. On the end of the nori sheet nearest you, place single strips of avocado and portobello, a sprinkling of scallions, and small dollops of the sambal mixture.

4. Moisten the clean edge of the nori sheet with water. Beginning at the filled end, roll up nori sheet very tightly. Press firmly when you get to the moistened edge to seal the roll. Repeat with remaining nori and filling.

PreparationFor the blackberry basil sauce:1. Place half of blackberries, lemon juice, salt and basil in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until berries are soft and broken down.

2. Remove berry mixture from heat and let steep for at least 20 minutes, up to overnight.

3. Remove and discard basil, then pour berry mixture into a blender. Purée, then sweeten to taste with agave nectar. Add more lemon juice if needed.

4. Push the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into saucepan and gently fold in the remaining whole blackberries.

5. Set aside until serving. When ready to serve, heat on low in saucepan until sauce is warm and berries are thawed (if using frozen). Alternatively, chill sauce in the refrigerator, covered, and serve cold.

For cinnamon cream:1. Put cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover. Refrigerate overnight. Drain cashews and rinse under cold water.

2. Put cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover. Refrigerate overnight. Drain cashews and rinse under cold water.

3. Place in a blender with enough cold water to just cover cashews.

4. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth.

For soup:1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke.

2. Add asparagus, celery and onion and sauté for 6-10 minutes, until celery is soft. Add stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add cashew cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Working in batches, pour soup into a blender, cover lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high.

5. Add spinach to the last batch and blend until smooth.

6. Pour soup into a large bowl and stir to incorporate the spinach batch. Ladle into bowls. Garnish each bowl with microgreens and drops of cashew cream.

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